As the specialty food industry continues to grow, this yearly event has become the largest of its kind in North America. On June 23-25th, the Summer Fancy Food Show gathered all industry innovators together in one place to “see and taste the future of food”. The team at E&C’s Snacks attended the show to network, sample some excellent specialty foods, and learn about the trends hitting our industry. Here is what we learned from the Summer Fancy Food Show.
Healthy Choices are Becoming the Standard
The Fancy Foods show was all about making healthy choices when it comes to what you feed your body. Cutting carbs is a trend that isn’t going away anytime soon. Carb substitutes such as cauliflower and broccoli pizza crust substitutes were showcased in droves. Sprout powders made a strong appearance as a replacement for some ingredients in baked goods.
Companies are also continuing to focus on providing allergen-free options for those who are allergic to ingredients like gluten or dairy. More than half of the booths I saw offered gluten-free or dairy-free products. It was actually surprising to come across a product that contained gluten or dairy!
Grab and Go is Gold
Single serving and travel-friendly packaging are definitely what companies are focusing on offering now. As we live in increasingly busy times, we tend to gravitate toward any food options that make our lives easier and get us out the door faster. Parents who are preparing lunches and quick snacks for kids are tossing these options into their shopping carts, so the industry is doing what they can to get their products on these grocery lists.
Presentation and Interaction are Everything
When it comes to having a booth at the Summer Fancy Food Show, the takeaway here is to go big or go home. This show is massive, and so many companies are displaying their products that it’s difficult to grab the attention of attendees. Brands with a little something special like an innovative display, a showcase of their ingredients, or representatives who came out from behind their booth to interact definitely stood out.
Food can only be fully experienced by being tasted, so having samples of products available was directly tied to how many people flocked to certain booths. You can’t leave attendees with something to remember you by if you don’t give them a sample to try!
It’s always an energizing experience to meet up with people who have the same passion as you, and E&C’s Snacks enjoyed building new relationships, fostering existing ones, and being inspired by the future of food.
